STATEMENT BY
AMBASSADOR Z. D. MUBURI-MUITA
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE
OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA
ON AGENDA ITEMS:
64 (a): NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR AFRICA’S
DEVELOPMENT,
64 (b): 2001-2010 DECADE TO ROLL BACK MALARIA
IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES,
PARTICULARLY AFRICA
AND
47: CAUSES OF CONFLICT AND PROMOTION OF
DURABLE PEACE AND SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA,
DURING THE 62ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
PLENARY DEBATE
ON 18TH OCTOBER 2007,
NEW YORK
Mr. President,
Let me take this opportunity to thank you for organizing this plenary discussion with a special focus on Africa. My delegation associates itself with the statements made by Pakistan on behalf of the Group of 77 and China and Benin on behalf of the African Group.
I take this opportunity to thank the Secretary-General for the informative reports on the issues under consideration.
Mr. President,
By highlighting the complex range of challenges confronting Africa’s development, we believe that the United Nations can help re-focus attention on viable solutions as well as mobilize a coalition of the international community to comprehensively address those significant problems.
Mr. President,
On the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, Kenya actively participates and supports the implementation of various NEPAD projects and programmes. We note with appreciation that various NEPAD initiatives are being implemented and call for concerted enhanced efforts to bring them to speedy fruition.
African countries have made tremendous progress with regard to the African Peer Review Mechanism. Kenya completed its African Peer Review Mechanism process last year and presented its report at the Banjul African Union Summit. We seek to maintain dialogue with the Secretariat, as well as other peers to effect meaningful and lasting change in the lives of the Kenyan people and the rest of the continent. The country report highlighted challenges and gaps faced by Kenya in the implementation of the peer review. We are committed to implementing the recommendations therein to the fullest extent and call for the support of the international community in this endeavour.
Mr. President,
According to the report by the Secretary-General on NEPAD, there has been some improvement in Official Development Assistance, debt relief and Foreign Direct Investment situation within the last five years. This is an indication that more resources are likely to be available for more pressing development needs in the social and economic fields. Indeed a good number of countries in Africa registered positive economic growth figures in the last few years. However, the positive trend does not match the resource requirements for general development purposes and specific NEPAD projects and programmes. One of the main problems is that support has been provided in a selective manner, thus leaving majority of the countries even more vulnerable and not able to undertake their individual and collective responsibilities. For instance, debt relief initiatives have targeted certain specific countries while other heavily indebted countries have been left out. Arising out of the efforts of improving the economies of developing countries, a number of countries have over the last four years crossed over the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) threshold and are now classified in the lower thresholds of developing countries. The transitional and obtaining conditions in these countries especially in the area of debt relief requires some attention. We therefore call for a programme of support for such countries as a guarantee against the risk of sliding and rolling back the gains.
Mr. President,
Trade is an important component of development. Unfortunately, international trade rules are currently unsupportive of the interests of developing countries. The suspension of the Doha Round in July 2006 was an unwelcome development that dampens the prospects of the multilateral trading system. An unfair trading system that imposes punitive tariffs on sectors where countries selectively enjoy a competitive edge such as in the agricultural produce, manufactured goods like textiles and garments discourages export diversification and manufacturing capacity building. It is therefore not surprising that Africa’s share of world trade declined from 3.5 percent in 1970 to about 1.4 percent in 2005, according to the World Bank. Worth noting is that if the none-oil trade effect is considered on its own, Africa’s share of world trade is shamefully low.
NEPAD represents a resolve by African leaders to spearhead the development of the continent. This task cannot be accomplished by Africans themselves. We therefore emphasize the need for concerted efforts by the international community to support African leaders in attaining the goals set under NEPAD.
Mr. President,
With regard to the 2001-2010 Decade To Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, particularly in Africa, I wish to underline the fact that Malaria continues to threaten the lives of about 3 billion people worldwide. The disease is most prevalent in Africa and continues to hinder social and economic development in numerous ways.
However, there has been a resurgence of international attention and support for malaria control, thus giving hope to the affected populations. Progress has been made in research for prevention and treatment methods which has resulted in long lasting insectside treated nets, rapid diagnostic tests and highly effective approaches such as the artemisinin-combination therapies.
There has also been an increase in funding both at bilateral and multilateral level, towards malaria control, particularly through the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. We encourage development partners to continue with this trend.
More importantly, within the African region, we should work closer together to share best practices especially on malaria warning mechanisms. In Kenya, the national malaria related targets are being achieved at a faster rate following the government’s deliberate policy and focus. With the support of our partners, we recently launched the new ACT malaria treatment. The ACT treatment is now available free of charge in all government and faith-based organizations’ hospitals. The improved distribution of treated mosquito nets and implementation of other preventive measures are bearing fruit. The focus and impact would even be much greater if a decision is made to establish manufacturing entities for the mosquito nets and malaria medication in Africa. We believe such a move would improve accessibility, lower costs and build local capacity for self-reliance and sufficiency.
Mr. President,
Turning to Causes of Conflict and the Promotion Durable Peace and Sustainable Development in Africa, it is no secret that the continent has faced devastating conflicts over the past twenty years. The end to conflicts in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire, Burundi the Democratic Republic of Congo and Southern Sudan is a substantive step towards peace in Africa. According to the reports of the Secretary General and the Human Security Report, the number of conflicts in the world has fallen by over 40 percent during the past 13 years. The fact that conflict is becoming less common in general and particularly in Africa is very encouraging.
Owing to the negative correlation between conflicts and development, investment, peace and security, and the general welfare of the people, my delegation calls for concerted efforts towards conflict resolution, and reconstruction of affected countries. This is one sure way of giving hope to the people from affected countries. In addition, Kenya urges for increased involvement of the African Union and the United Nations System in conflict monitoring, resolution and reconstruction particularly through promoting political and technical cooperation between continents and sub regional organizations. In this respect it is important for the African peacekeeping capabilities and capacity to be strengthened.
Mr. President,
Kenya hosted the second Summit of the International Conference on Peace, Security, Democracy and Development in the Great Lakes Region on 14-15th December 2006. The objective of the conference was to establish a framework to promote peace, security and development in the Great Lakes Region and end the recurrence of violence and conflict. A pact was signed among Member States and it is under implementation. In this respect, we thank our partners, especially the friends of the Great Lakes Region for their valuable support towards preparing for the conference and addressing the conflicts in the region, including their commitment towards continued and sustained support.
We trust that this and other focused discussions on the development needs of Africa in particular the High Level Meeting on “Africa’s Development Needs: State of Implementation of Various Commitments, Challenges and the Way Forward” scheduled to take place during the Sixty-third General Assembly Session will re-energize the international community’s attention and efforts towards supporting the African continent to address its development, social and security problems.
Lastly, Mr. President, with a view to mainstreaming and sustaining focus on Africa’s development needs within the United Nations system, I wish to reiterate the request for the Secretary-General to appoint an office bearer to the position of Special Adviser on Africa and strengthen the office adequately.
I Thank You. |
